“Like the Madonna but not”, “strong and powerful” Ben said, and to my surprise I actually kinda nailed it? As someone with an invisible disability it’s hard for me to feel strong and confident. Everything was hurting after this shoot, I knew it would fuck me up and it took at least 3 weeks for me to recover. But I did it for the art. I do it because my story, my diaspora, my disability deserves to be seen, celebrated and validated. I’m actually Mexican so I can just about get away with saying I do it to be like Frida, I have always resonated with this quote Diego said of her “[Frida is] the only example in the history of art of an artist who tore open her chest and heart to reveal the biological truth of her feelings.” I can’t describe the safety I feel knowing that Mexico’s most famous person was a woman with a disability, a woman surrounded by carers, a DIY inventor, political activist, a woman who carried many faces, many bodies, many appearances. I have the freedom to love myself and my raw unfiltered pain because of her; and freedom because my biological Mexican mother is disabled, beautiful, stylish and successful too. You don’t have to give up yourself because of disability, it doesn’t need to steal your individuality as well as your health, put it into everything you do AS a way to explore and challenge ableism, as a way to empower yourself and write your story. If you ever feel lost just remember there is no light without shadow and there is no world without us. Fuck racism, fuck xenophobia, fuck ableism! Mexicans built America. Disabled people invented and created. It’s not okay to forget or exclude us anymore okay?!?!Comment if you get it ❣️